IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

The Federal Government has filed an eight-count charge against former Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah at a Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing her of falsely claiming to have lost her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, among other allegations. 

The charge was filed on June 26, 2023, according to court documents made available on Monday. This comes amid controversy over alleged falsified documents claiming the former Anambra North completed the mandatory one-year programme.

One of the counts read, “That you SENATOR STELLA ODUAH AND D.A.O OSHINOWO (at large) sometime in the year, 2017, at Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspires amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: make a document titled ‘Re: Request for National Youth Service Confirmation Which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3(6) of the miscellaneous offences Act CAF M17 of the revised edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and Punishable under section 3 (1) (c) of the same Act.”

In another count, the Federal Government alleged “that you SENATOR STELLA ODUAH sometime in the year, 2011 at Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did forward your credential to Federal Government of Nigeria among which is an affidavit and Extract from police Crime Diary, that you lost your National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Certificate the representation you know to be false which led to your nomination as a cabinet Minister and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 39 (2) (a) and punishable under Section 39(2)(b) of the same Act.

One of the other counts reads, “That you SENATOR STELLA ODUAH sometime in the year, 2011 at Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did forward your credential to Federal Government of Nigeria among which is an affidavit and Extract from police Crime Diary, that you lost your National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Certificate the representation you know to be false which led to your nomination as a cabinet Minister and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 157 of the Penal Code Act and punishable under Section 158 (1) of the same Act.”

Chelsea have revealed their home kit for the 2023-24 season without a front-of-shirt sponsor. A shirt deal with telecommunications company Three was not renewed when it expired at the end of last season.

The Premier League blocked a deal with streaming service Paramount+, because of concerns about upsetting its broadcast rights holders. Chelsea decided against a shirt sponsorship agreement with an online gambling company. The club's supporters' trust had spoken out against such a partnership, although it is understood Chelsea had already ruled a deal before that.

In April, the Premier League announced that gambling sponsors would be withdrawn from the front of shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season. Chelsea say the shirt will go on sale on the website and in their shop on 16 August, three days after their opening Premier League game against Liverpool. It will go on wide sale on 23 August.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi; and former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku are in attendance as legal icon Aare Afe Babalola celebrates the 60th anniversary of his call to the Bar.

The educationist was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales on July 9, 1963.

Congratulations to him. 

Conflict-torn Sudan is on the brink of a “full-scale civil war” that could destabilise the entire region, the United Nations warned Sunday, after an air strike on a residential area killed around two dozen civilians. The Ministry of Health reported “22 dead and a large number of wounded among the civilians” from the strike on Khartoum’s sister city Omdurman, in the district of Dar al-Salam, which means “House of Peace” in Arabic.

After nearly three months of war between Sudan’s rival generals, the air strike is the latest incident to provoke outrage. Around 3,000 people have been killed in the conflict, survivors have reported a wave of sexual violence and witnesses have spoken of ethnically targeted killings. There has been widespread looting, and the UN warned of possible crimes against humanity in the Darfur region.

A video posted by the health ministry on Facebook showed apparently lifeless bodies after the airstrike, including several women. The narrator says that residents “counted 22 dead”. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), fighting the regular army, claimed that the strike killed 31. Since the war began, paramilitaries have established bases in residential areas, and they have been accused of forcing civilians from their homes.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday condemned the air strike in Omdurman, which he said “reportedly killed at least 22 people” and wounded dozens, his deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement. Guterres “remains deeply concerned that the ongoing war between the armed forces has pushed Sudan to the brink of a full-scale civil war, potentially destabilising the entire region”, Haq said. He added: “There is an utter disregard for humanitarian and human rights law that is dangerous and disturbing.”

Nearly three million people have been uprooted by Sudan’s fighting, among them almost 700,000 who have fled to neighbouring countries according to the International Organization for Migration.

Political leaders from the South-East region are calling on the Federal Government to intervene in order to ensure that normalcy returns to the region. This came after a meeting of governors and elected members of the National Assembly from the region held in Abuja on Monday.

The Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, said the governments in the region need the assistance of the Federal Government to address the security challenges in the region.

Leaders from the South-East from across political divides attended the meeting, which was held behind closed doors. At the end of the meeting, Uzodinma announced the resolution to seek the intervention of the Federal Government.

Some of the leaders in attendance were the President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, and former Minister of Labour, Sen. Chris Ngige.

Beyond the sit-at-home order of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and gunmen attacks, the political leaders expressed determination to end other challenges hindering the development of the region, regardless of their political differences.

Security Operatives of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, in collaboration with Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, have set ablaze an intercepted vessel carrying barrels of stolen crude oil in the Escravos area of Delta State. The vessel was set ablaze by a military helicopter.

The vessel allegedly owned by a Nigerian registered company, was heading to Cameroon with the cargo onboard when it was apprehended at an offshore location with the captain and crew members onboard.

According to the Executive Director of Operations and Technical at Tantita Security, Captain Warred Enisuoh and the Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Olusegun Ferreira, the oil cargo was illegally sourced from a well-jacketed offshore in Ondo State with no valid documentation at the time of the arrest.

The said vessel had operated in stealth mode for the last 12 years.

The discovery was the latest in the series of disturbing findings by the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a security outfit owned by former militant leader Government Ekpemepulo aka Tompolo and contracted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.